Kaasan
by Hareta
Summary: Night after the tournament. After experiencing the power of a youko once more, Kurama longs to return to his former form. Who will remind him of his duties as Shuuichi? Hiei?!


_= Standard Disclaimers applied. Sorry if the characters become a bit OOC at times, the YYH here in my country's a bit different than the original (for instance, they say Shuuichi's a GIRL. Can you believe it?!). This took place during the Urameshi Team's last night at the Kubikukuri Hotel IN MY IMAGINATION. It didn't happen in the manga/anime =_  
  
~*~  
  
Kaasan  
  
~*~  
  
"I'll always be watching over you...my sister."  
  
Yukina stirred and woke up, pulling herself into a sitting position and looking around her in confusion. She could have sworn someone was there beside her, murmuring words that she can no longer recall. There must have been. She felt the side of her bed, the sheets warm to her touch as if a body had been against it, leaning over her. Her locks were all tucked behind her ears and not a single strand of light blue hair covered her pretty face. She could sense someone's ki, but it was faint, masked, and the person hidden in the shadows.   
  
"Who-who's there?" she called out to the dark tentatively, trying her best to keep her voice calm and even. Her words came out weak however, quiet and timid.   
  
Silence followed her question. Her scarlet eyes scanned the room once more but she found no one. Giving up, she lay back down, wondering how can someone be fondling her hair for one moment and disappear the next once she opens her eyes. Was it just her imagination? Well, whoever or whatever it was, she'll have to deal with it tomorrow. That is if she remembers. Sighing, she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.  
  
On one of the branches of the many trees outside, underneath the crescent moon, stood a figure clad in black. Sharp crimson eyes watched over the sleeping girl for a moment, before the person turned away and jumped off the branch, entering another room through its window.  
  
~*~  
  
Kurama's eyes popped open, his heart beating so hard and fast that his chest hurt. Trying to level his breathing, he stared up at the ceiling, images of Karasu still in his mind's eye. His eerie voice, those death-pale hands...he winced as the tremendous pain all his wounds brought him together returned at the memory of his opponent.   
  
When had it become so cold in here?  
  
He sat up and looked over the bed positioned a couple of feet away from his. His eyes narrowed when he found it empty. Hadn't Hiei go to bed earlier than him? He had pre-assumed tonight as the only night the two of them would really be 'sharing' this room, the fire demon either training by the cliffs or sleeping in the forest. He was really surprised when he entered the hotel room earlier this evening and found the other already sound asleep...but now he's out again. Well, he shouldn't really have counted on his staying.  
  
He shivered, instinctively wrapping his arms around himself protectively. Cold. It's practically freezing in here. A breeze lifted a couple of red strands of hair, the locks resettling afterwards. Wait a minute...a breeze?! Kurama shifted on the bed, turning to face the window. As expected, it was open, probably the way out of the room Hiei found fitting that night. He grunted and made a move to stand up, making a mental note of thrashing the youkai for this...not that he's capable of it. Not now that the other has mastered the Black Dragon Spirit Technique while he, on the other hand, still needs to drink a potion or two to become a youko. And his human body is just so weak that...  
  
He sighed and took a step towards the window, his blanket fell to the floor rather fast, as if something weighed it down. Why is it that his thoughts all seem to lead to the issue of his demon spirit being trapped inside a 'weak' human body? He didn't mind of it much before...and he shouldn't. He is in no position to complain, after all. Is he not the one who chose this to be so? He's the one who took over the body, Shuuichi's soul hadn't really beg him to do so or anything of the like. Heck. Why would any soul want to loose its body? He took over selfishly like the selfish thief of a fox he was, at least, back then, so why complain now? Come to think of it, had he not Shuuichi's body to reside in, he would be lost by now, a wandering spirit that would very well soon disappear. He should be thankful instead...ingrate.  
  
He closed his eyes and groaned, feeling tremendously guilty. Opening his eyes again, he looked up and realized that he was back lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He hasn't yet closed the fated window and gusts of cold wind blew in from the outside. It didn't matter. His body was practically burning with fury...seething with anger upon himself.  
  
He knew perfectly well why he was feeling like this. The tournament. The fight with Karasu. Visions of wispy silver hair, sharp gold eyes, and white godly Makai clothing covering a well-built body bothered his thoughts to no end. The feeling of superior power coursing throught his body, the dizzying smell of some of the deadliest plants from the demon world...there are just too many things he misses, too many things he has left behind and now is being reminded of.   
  
"If only I..."  
  
If only he can return.  
  
With that thought in mind, sleepiness overtook him and he fell asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
Hiei entered the room quietly, finding his comrade's silk blanket down on the floor beside his bed. Seemingly indifferent, he scooped it up and placed it next to the sleeping redhead, something catching his eyes as it fell out of the folds of the light blue cloth. It was...  
  
"Shiori," breathed Hiei, recognizing the woman in the picture as Kurama's ningen mother. He tried to pick the frame up but had been to hasty, cutting himself on the thorns that surrounded the picture. Trying again, he managed to, and gasped soundlessly. Close-up, one would see that the picture frame itself was made of thorny rose stems. "Why would Ku-? Hn. Stupid fox." Carefully, he set the thing down upon Kurama's bedside table, the sound of a soft moan not managing to escape his ears as he leaned forward slightly.  
  
'Kurama?'  
  
The black-haired demon turned to his friend just in time to see him restlessly shift in his bed. Beads of perspiration were upon his forehead and to them the youkai paid no attention. He was busy staring at the redhead's...no, his friend was no longer a redhead. He was busy staring at the silver-haired youko that lay before him now.   
  
Kurama stopped moving around so much and slept on his side, his tongue sliding out for a second to lick his pink lips then sliding back in. By his bedside, the fire demon continued to stare, taking in the Youko Kurama's pinks foxy ears, his tail, white clothing, sharp nails...everything Shuuichi didn't have. In the next minute he was himself again though, and slapped the sleeping figure in the face to wake him up.  
  
The tall male woke up with a start, looking around him and glaring at Hiei as he rubbed on his stinging cheek with one hand. "What was that for?" he growled, golden eyes narrowing.  
  
For a moment, Hiei was stunned. It was the first time Kurama had glared upon him as a youko and what a difference it was from gentle Shuuichi's sharp but calming look. He shook his head and glared back, one hand pointing at Kurama's face.  
  
"What?" he snapped, gliding one hand tenderly against the pale skin of his face.   
  
"Youko, what did you do?!"  
  
~*~  
  
Kurama blinked back at the shorter youkai, not understanding what he was trying to say. He tried to get himself fully awake and shook his head. It didn't work. He still saw Hiei's silhouette in the dark smaller than it should have been. "Uh…What do you mean, Hiei?"  
  
"Baka! Look at yourself!" Hiei exclaimed, pulling his hair towards his line of vision.   
  
Kurama winced at the pain it brought, but dared not displease more the furious youkai and looked at what was being shown to him. He gasped. "Silver?!" He jerked the silver locks from Hiei's bandaged hand and stared at them in disbelief. He looked up to meet Hiei's gaze but only saw in the crimson eyes the reflection of his own sly narrow golden ones.   
  
"You wish to return to being a demon?" Hiei silently asked in a cold, monotonous voice.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Hn." The youkai walked to his own side of the room, throwing off his black cloak and allowing it to fall ungracefully down the carpeted floor. He sat on the edge of his bed and swung his legs onto it, lying down and keeping quiet.  
  
"Liar."  
  
Kurama's sensitive fox ears heard the almost inaudible whisper of Hiei. He turned his head in surprise, finding the other one only staring out of the window. "Liar, Hiei?" he asked.  
  
"You're a liar, Kurama. You said you love your mother. You said you'll do anything for her and yet now you choose the life of Youko Kurama over her?"  
  
"Who says I've chosen?"  
  
"It's obvious."  
  
Kurama lifted his hands in front of his eyes, staring at the sharp nails and pale white skin, paler than Shuuichi's. He felt his tail between him and the bed as he lay down on it, aware of the two pointy ears on top of his head and his piercing gold eyes. Everything about him screamed the fact, he can't deny it. "So what? Feelings change."  
  
"The only thing the feared youko Kurama has learned from the ningens is...love...I didn't belive it was possible and now I see it isn't. Now that you're returned, kitsune, have you forgotten the one who has loved you? Your mother," Hiei stated as a cloud covered the moon outside, plunging them both into darkness.  
  
Kurama should have been shocked at the longevity of the other's statement but was more surprised with what he said. Somewhere within he remembers. His mother. Shiori. The woman who has taken care for him all these years while he, on the other hand, continued to deceive her. However, if there was anything ever to be said about a youko, it is that they are not to be trifled with and beat. "She's not my mother. She's a ningen woman who bore to a ningen child."  
  
"And that ningen child was you. His son, above all, should love her as she has loved you."  
  
The youko's fist clenched in frustration. Finding one last escape, he tried it. "How should you know? A mother? Her love? You have neither," he spat, his youko side feeling no remorse whatsoever with what he had just said to his friend.  
  
"...I should know above all," Hiei mumbled quietly, catching his attention. Kurama's eyes narrowed in the dark. "My mother died because she loved me so much and I...I never had the chance to know that love...love that you're now throwing away."  
  
"Shiori..."  
  
"Kurama, you're lucky you found a mother who will love you. Do you want to waste it for a hellish life in Makai? She's waiting for you back in your home, Kurama. You have to return," Hiei continued, looking over at him. As he watched, the tall and lean figure of youko stilled and then relaxed, Kurama has fallen asleep yet again. He kept his eyes on the other, as the clouds outside passed, allowing the light of the moon to illuminate their room again, bringing Shuuichi's red locks to view.  
  
"Everything will be better in the morning," Hiei whispered, closing his eyes to go to sleep. Sleep and dream of the mother he never knew.  
  
~*~  
  
FIN  
  
~*~  
  
A/N (again): How was it? *phew* I was planning to put all the characters in here and what they were doing that night but...it went totally different, huh? Well, pls. review~! I know the fic's pathetic but please~! You have to review~! (Do I sound too desperate?)...Oh, and please spare me the flames coz this is my first YYH fic. You can roast me alive if you want in my second. ^_^  
  
-+Okay, back to Choice, dot hack HUNTER, Rukuso and my other fics now~! -_- +- 


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